John M Walter @johnmichaelwalter-blog - Tumblr Blog

Group work throughout project

With the use of group work in this project, I have been able to quickly reflect and take on advise from my peers, gaining valuable criticism of my work and also helping others critique their work. I found that group sessions really helped throughout and allowed me to concentrate on creating more designs and leaving the tweaking for after a group critique.

#Group critique

Receiving Business Cards

I have just received my set of 100 business cards, which were in illaminated gloss. They are in good quality and arrived on time from Solopress.

Finishing up my drinks design

Here I am collecting some valuable feedback on my designs I have created for the drinks competition for JDO. I took on board some advice which was given by my tutor about which logo to finally use out of the selection I had created.

Printing Business Cards

I used a company called Solopress which allowed me to get 100 of my business cards printed within 5 days on laminated paper.

Here I selected the correct size for the business card design.

Here I reviewed my order before going to the checkout.

Here is my order verification screen and proof that it has been sent off.

Job Placement with Bloom London

I got in contact with the Studio Bloom in London, phoning them up and requested for the work experience officer’s email address. I was told the email address and began to prepare my email and had a last check over my portfolio and CV.

I am now awaiting their reply and looking forward to a possible work placement.

#Work experience #Bloom #London

Elevator Pitch Pin Up Critique

Here I have created my elevator pitch for the JDO skype meeting and I created a bulleted list of what I should include in my pitch and applied it well.

I felt that creating the pitch was an interesting experience as It has to be short and concise and deliver all the important information in a short space of time.

We then had a pin up critique for our elevator pitch and I was told that I should include more comparative information on what I want to achieve and what I think would be possible.

We then had a Pin up Critique and helped each other perfect our pitches. I found that many of people critiques, including my own were too long and perhaps needed to be shortened into more compact set of paragraphs.

I applied the help which was given to me and corrected my elevator pitch.

#Design Process Stage 5

Bottles for JDO drink

I did some internet research and found a very cheap American bottle manufacturing company which delivers bottles to your house which are all PET which means they are recyclable and non harmful to the environment. The website is called Naturally thinking.

I also found out that I can order bottle catalogues which may help me choose a bottle type for my drink.

JDO Interviews for Drinks Competition

We had group interviews with two of the people from JDO to discuss how our projects are going and help us decide on which direction to go next with our designs and concepts. I found this particularly helpful and allowed me to re-focus on my design process and which direction I should attempt to complete next.

We set up the projector in the lecture room and speakers so the whole of each group could get involved in the interview. It was interesting to find out how each others projects were going and how they were going about constructing their drinks designs and which direction they were going.

#jdoraw #Design Process Stage 6 #Visual Pitch & Concept Critique #Design Process Stage 7

‘Brand Identity’ Book release by Catharine Slade-Brooking

Catharine Slade-Brooking releases her book to the public and I wanted to highlight some of the pages I felt most useful when reading her book in part of the branding process I am currently going through to create my Drink for the JDO drinks competition. She highlighted some key areas of branding which should be addressed and also helped illustrate just how to go about working through competitor research process and many other processes during the branding process.

I found this particularly helpful as it enabled me to grasp the basic concepts of this particular process and gave an insight into how a professional might go about it in their own professional context.

The design process Catharine created gives a step by step approach to how you should go about your practise in the professional world, and I found this very interesting and helpful for my University course, as It shows a unique way of working which I may never have come across. Catharine goes on to explain her choices and gives hints on where to improve where possible.

Personally I find flow charts exceedingly useful and allow a good steady process to be followed correctly. Catharine provides the reader with many flowcharts, this one in particular coming in useful when I started my research on the JDO drinks project applying the processes given to most of my areas of research.

Drinks research and analysis

I have been collating bottles and cans to find out how they have presented their graphics to attract the consumers. I found that some of the design came in handy when designing my drinks packaging design for the JDO competition.

Analysing the various types of bottles I found interesting, as I also found some sauces which showed a different side to the design process.

SPIN: 360 - Tony Brook

We had a lecture on the company Spin, which was all about the company and how they have achieved some certain projects. In particular a project they did for a company overseas in Brazil called Proa involving the use of Bridge parts, however they actually offered the clients many different alternatives.

We were told that cultural sensitivity is very important when creating a brand or logo abroad, you need to know what its all about and about the area in which they are operating in. When working with your client you need to build up a narrative (story) to help engagements with the clients become more frequent and easy going.

I was allowed to ask a question at the end of the lecture, which was:

Q: When working over long distances do you find it very difficult to cooperate and engage with the clients and also keep them interested in your production paths?

A: No, we often find the same difficulties with clients who are just around the corner, so distance can be irrelevant, its all about if they can be bothered or have enough time on their hands.

After exiting the theatre, we were allowed to have an in depth conversation with Tony Brook the founder of Spin, and talk about the work they are doing at current with a section of Google in New York. We were told that it can be very difficult for the designer especially, in this case, if the clients find themselves so busy all the time as to not be able to see to you.

Johnny, Emma, Tony Brook, James and Henrietta

Recognising Packaging Design

We were all told to bring in an drinks product to talk about, so we ended up with a large variety of different packaging examples, ranging from very loud and outrageously bright designs to more traditional and some more subtle designs.

I found that there are just as many products trying to be as loud as possible as there are products which take the minimal approach and try and avoid the visual noise which is so prominent in places and spaces of consumption.

Laying out all the brands next to each other you can begin to picture the idea of having all the visual noise and which products stand out against the rest, and there were some which did this in a very minimal way, through elegance and simplicity.

Working on Research

I have been using Pinterest to collate images to inspire me and help me focus on creating a good theme for my design, researching different drinks and creating mood boards with the images.

Below is myself working on Pinterest and exploring various different types of alcoholic beverages.

#Design Process Stage 4

Personal Profiling Critique

We had a critique for out personal profile which we were told to write in around just an hour, which produced some interesting results and some really good profiles. We then perfected our profiles after the critique adding in areas which are most relevant to what we want to do focus in on in graphic design later on in life.

Portfolio and CV perfecting

Receiving some final feedback on my CV and portfolio design and arrangement, It was suggested that I create introductions to each project in my portfolio to help the viewer make sense of what they are seeing. It was also suggested that I alter the CV removing the blue panel in the middle and make space for my personal profile which I have written.

Above is a picture of my CV before editing, and below is a picture of my CV after I altered it.

#Design Process Stage 1

Discussing possible Drink ideas

We discussed our ideas between us and together were told what would be a good idea and what would not. The guidelines were laid out and we were given instructions on what to research next as well as being told how practical our ideas are.

#Design Process Stage 3 #The Visual Pitch

Studio Crit

We had a studio critique on our CVs and business cards, analysing and helping each other to further our designs. This process was found to be very helpful and beneficial, as we also got critiqued by the CEO and founder of Farrow Creative, Sam Farrow, who provided some much appreciated criticism.

We were given post it notes and told to criticise each other on our work, allowing for a broad, anonymous and truthful set of opinions.

My business card designs and portfolio, presented for analysis and critique.

#Design Process Stage 1 #Interim review of Promotional Materials #Farrow Creative

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